Nephilim's Song
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: Liquid Ocelot seizes one of Lloyd Irving's dearest friends. Two worlds are fused together in an epic tale for the ages. Hearts discover each other, and love blossoms. Are all tales filled with blissful promises, though? Or will darkness reign?


Hello, kids! Welcome to 'Nephilim'! You have stepped into a crossover to be remembered. Inspired by the lady Zephyr, I have decided to weave a poignant tale of two worlds! Before you dive into this, though, please heed my lovely warnings. Thanks!

**Warning: CONTAINS BOY/BOY LOVE. ALSO CONTAINS EMOTIONAL CHARACTERS. CONTAINS AN EMOTIONAL OLD SNAKE.**

**ONCE AGAIN: CONTAINS BOY/BOY LOVE, EMOTIONAL CHARACTERS, AND AN EMOTIONAL SNAKE. TURN AWAY IF YOU'RE TURNED OFF BY ANY OF THOSE ELEMENTS.  
**

**Disclaimer: Me no own nothing attached to Tales of Symphonia or Metal Gear Solid!**

* * *

All across the ages, love soared on fate's wings. It blessed nobles and humble souls, bypassing no one in its divine flight. Emperors and peasants alike were treated to the unmatched brilliance of love, unable to find any gem with a greater aura. Children shared ardent affection with their mothers, fathers and siblings. Lovers held each other by the hand, immersing themselves in starlit ardor. Stories, old and new, were built off human connections and engraved into immortality. King Henry the Eighth, a legend for a wide assortment of reasons, showered the apples of his eyes in unequaled affection. Frodo, a shining star from Tolkien's greatest work, rode on the wings of love as he pursued Mordor. Countless figures of the human history honored love in unique ways, for human warmth was the greatest gift of all. Heroes of the fictional and realistic kind were strong pursuers of a radiant future, hoping to have their existence slathered in unending devotion.

One tale was similiar to the tale of Tarzan, who found his world colliding with the world of humans. Two worlds merged underneath one sky, fated to share the same destiny. The creation of their union was quite a blur, but remembered all too well. Fantasy merged with the reality of war, creating a world like no other. Different cloths were bound together by the same seamstress, who evidently delighted in uniting different lives. It was still difficult to explain how Liquid Ocelot managed to get his hands on a travel device, but he managed to manipulate it nonetheless-and it was referred to as the Rhehard. By an astounding stroke of luck, he stumbled upon the device-and immediately set about to his new agenda. By using the transportation device, he'd forge two worlds into one-but his creation was meant to live without love. It was meant only to thrive off the destruction of the human race, therefore paving a path for a new world regime. He would undoubtedly stand as the world's ruler, but appeared to have a wish for a companion. His companion was known to the strange, mythical world all too well.

While the brother of an old legend tainted a young mind, several hearts truly managed to come together. Despite their vast differences in backgrounds, they united as though they had been destined to meet from birth. The denizens of the magical, enchanting world were steadfast about their collaboration with new friends, working at their hardest to ensure success-and safety. They had formed a united front against Liquid and his comrade, who happened to be an old comrade of theirs. They couldn't ignore how tricky it was to learn the way of a firearm, but they pursued sucess nonetheless. They were adamant about supporting their new companions, determined to give them everything they had. And so they did, combining their knowledge and valor with the qualities of a newly acquired companion. Dr. Hal Emmerich (affectionately referred to as Otacon), Genis and Raine worked together on the fusion of firearms and magic. Day and night they worked, tirelessly in pursuit of answers. In what seemed to be mere seconds, the answers they required were unearthed-and their little army attained quite a powerful arsenal. Enchanted firearms and grenades weren't the only creations, though. By working so close to a brother and sister, the softhearted otaku managed to gain a sibling-and a mother-for himself. Quite a refreshing feeling, considering he still felt unbearably horrible about his past-and what had come to his blood family.

Genis and Raine weren't the only ones to discover unmatched, invigorating love. Colette decided she would be forever fond of Hal right out of the gate. Her first smile to him would forever remain in his memories, beautiful and bright. Lloyd, on his first meeting with the Emmerich, walked right up to him (after Colette introduced him) and told him: you remind me of home. The young Irving casually walked away after that, leaving behind a thoroughly moved otaku. Sunny was quickly welcomed into a new world with open arms, showered in adoration. Genis had difficulty in introducing himself to her, and hadn't managed to scoop up enough courage to speak to her since, but the others were perfectly comfortable. Lloyd took to Sunny as a fish took to water, quickly giving her a brother figure. Raine gushed over the small child as a doting mother would glow over a baby, and one particularly gentle soul was woven into her great heart. He went by the name of Regal, but she referred to him as 'Bear'. The little maiden put her trusty nickname system into action, bestowing the names of anime and video game characters onto her new friends. Regal and Lloyd were given the names of .hack//sign characters. Colette was dubbed 'Penelo', Genis was given the name 'Larsa', and Raine would forever be remembered as 'Serenity'. Her father, at first, was thoroughly embarrassed by having his penchant for animation out in the open, but the additions to his family took to their names instantly. 'Kite' (otherwise known as Lloyd Irving) treated his name as an enchanting new toy, thinking of it with a glow in his eyes. His new name, Sunny and Hal were his constant sources of light, but two other souls were constant sources of pain.

The man named 'Snake' was also a recipient of strong affection. Adored on a regular basis by Colette, Raine and Genis, he was given the love a puppy would normally receive. Genis worshipped the ground he walked on, believing him to be the 'world's coolest flame'-but not out of the wrong reasons. When the little one spoke of his adoration to Snake, the old war legend turned away with one of his trademark grunts. Raine's brother made a rebound by explaining a few things, telling him he admired his new friend's valor and heart.

From that point on, Snake made a silent reference to Genis. He only needed one word, and that word was 'brother'.

The little one turned out to be an even greater brother than Liquid and Solidus combined. Snake envisioned himself playing catch with the small magician, and cherished each of their conversations. If Regal was attending to him, Genis was right at his side. Someone else wished to stand by him, but after a while, he found himself unable to do so. Competing against a certain, muscular warrior was just too difficult-not to mention painful. 'Kite' was comfortable around Snake at first, but once a great amount of time passed, contact with the old legend just became...well, uncomfortable. Lloyd avoided Snake whenever he could, but tried his hardest to converse with him during their collisions. Colette, true to form, noticed Lloyd's increases in discomfort and inquired after them.

She was the only one aware of his heart. He couldn't even find it in himself to tell Hal anything. Spilling anything to him, when he already had enough to fret over, would have been downright awful.

Snake, on his own end, had his fair share of troubles. Although he was at the birth age of forty, he had the body-and psyche-of a weary seventy year old. His appearance alone sickened him, and knowing of perfectly healthy forty year olds added grief to his wartorn heart. Looking at himself in the mirror was a horrendously difficult task, and he never looked at anyone-not even Hal-for more than five seconds. Regal managed to keep his eyes for a much longer period, but everyone else could only gaze into them for a painfully short amount of time. He spoke little, and whenever he spoke, his voice was faint. His sentences were choppy at first, but the passage of time propelled him to speak at greater length. However, his shyness wasn't completely erased-not even towards Hal and Sunny. Lloyd wasn't the only one keeping secrets, as Hal was heartbroken by his friend's behavior-but spoke nothing of his daily distress. The gentle Emmerich shared his friend's story with the others, telling him of the trials they had shared together. The tales of Big Boss, Liquid Snake, Solidus Snake and so many others were wrapped around time, bewitching their audiences-but breaking their hearts at the same time. The tale of Naomi Hunter was last, but not least.

Once storytime came to an end, the audience decided they had greater respect-and affection-for a certain pillar. Not a single member of the audience said anything, but Hal saw their decisions planted on their faces. His new family members went off to bed without a word, reflecting on everything they had heard-and thinking of a certain soldier.

The next morning, Colette and Raine found it impossible to cease gushing over Snake. They hugged and snuggled against him as if he had become a teddy bear, upsetting the breakfast table (and a woeful, jealous Hal). Genis, Hal and Sunny tried to quiet down the uproarious fun (in nothing short of a playful manner), but Lloyd sat in his seat silently. He ate little, playing with most of his food absentmindedly. He was still caught in the tides of the night, his mind flashing with images of Hal's stories. Regal sat still in the same manner, reflecting on the previous night. A timid war legend stole glances of 'Bear' whenever he could, and quickly turned away whenever he felt the other male's awareness. Meanwhile, chaos erupted over their tiny breakfast table.

The two of them shared a story that was akin to Romeo and Juliet's. Jasmine and Aladdin's. Heathcliffe and Cathy's. Their story wasn't built around the same circumstances as the other stories, but it was nonetheless epic. The two men were torn from different worlds, brought up in different environments and given different lessons of life. They sat underneath the same sky, stealing glances of one another and dreaming of unparalleled bliss. Love grew even in the smallest of events, blossoming when the older male taught his lover how to wield a gun. The younger male (who was, much to the old male's horror, close to his birthage) was quite protective of the other, never wanting to leave his side and treating him as a member of nobility. He didn't refer to Snake by code name, or even by 'Epyon'. In Regal's eyes, he was either 'my king' or 'my lord'. His treatment to Snake was akin to the treatment a lover would provide a sovereign, conjuring voices and scenes from the Tudors era.

The only one that didn't gush over their Shakespearean tale was Lloyd.

Snake, of course, wasn't a big fan of it either. He hated how Regal was so protective, so caring and loving towards him. At first he tried to brush Regal's behavior off as general chivalry, especially since Regal wasn't particularly cruel to anyone else. However, the truth was constantly shoved in his face-and there came a time when he could no longer ignore it. The intrepid swordsman possessed great affection for him, which was shown in every exchange they shared. The bowing and 'milord's made love painfully obvious, but everything else was just as hard to accept. Regal would endanger himself for his sake, placing himself in the line of fire just to protect him. He refused to let Colette heal him, wanting to keep his wounds as signs of devotion. That alone was enough to break the apple of his eye's heart.

He dreamt of Regal when his eyes were closed, and when his eyes were open. He dreamt of many things, happy things, warm things. He dreamt of sharing soft kisses, warm hugs and nighttime bliss.

Unfortunately, he dubbed every last one of his dreams 'unholy'.

Just when Snake's affection towards Regal struck a crescendo, the world was turned inside-out. Liquid's companion, who had been lulled into false security, stole Snake away in the heat of battle. Regal, Lloyd and the others were left to fight Liquid's ExSphere army, overwhelmed and horror-stricken by their friend's capture. Snake's family saw just how great of a threat Liquid truly was, helpless against soldiers that were manipulated by the tyrant's wishes. His self-made ExSpheres, all of which were made with the help of his 'lover', were devices of immense power-and his opponents discovered that the hard way. Once that particularly fierce battle came to an end, the enraged team immediately set about Snake's recovery. Lloyd was both restless and irritable, to say the least. Regal was equally restless but gravely worried, unable to stop thinking about Snake for even a second.

After much discussion, Kite and Bear were elected to pursue the stolen princess. Danger was all too real, looming over the duo's heads as a black stormcloud. Their family, although determined to support their endeavors in every way possible, didn't look forward to their mission with smiles. The power of the opposing collaboration had been made painfully clear in their previous battle, and would most likely grow in a short amount of time. Liquid had all of the help he needed to form an even greater army of soldiers, accompanied by an even greater supply of poisonous ExSpheres. Magic was truly hellish in the wrong hands.

In the thick of the night, Lloyd and Regal came upon a seemingly abandoned castle. The two of them cautiously edged their way in, following a signal Hal had managed to pick up with the Mark II. Since the signal belonged to Snake's Solid Eye, there was no reason not to follow it. The seaside castle was anything but abandoned, though, as the duo found out upon entry. A dank, eerie wind swept over their bodies instantly, warning them of impending danger. Torches were lit, voices whispered in a strange language, and distant footsteps danced upon the frosty winds. Lloyd kept one hand on his sword hilt, Regal had the eyes of a hawk, and-

Liquid's partner soon made his appearance, holding his captive in his arms.

_"Lloyd! Regal! Glad you could make it! I was just about to issue the two of you invitations, but you made it here on your own!"_

_"What do you think you're doing, you beast?! Get your hands off of him, before you find your head rolling on your own red carpet!"_

_"Nothin' doin', dear Irving. He's my party guest! Besides, we've gotten to know each other real well! We've been having these nice long chats, I'll have you know, and he's got quite the spirit. It's no wonder you want him back. But of course, you shouldn't have been stupid enough to let him go in the first place!"_

Several things happened at once. A furious Lloyd leapt out at Liquid's partner, unsheathing his blade. Regal cried out, Snake wrenched himself out of his captor's arms, and Liquid's self-made friends poured out of the walls. The inexplicable language, which couldn't have been made anywhere other than Hell, grew even louder as the world closed in on the trio. Liquid's wraiths tried to wrestle Snake to the ground, Lloyd lashed out against Liquid's lover, Regal unleashed an array of battle spells, desperately trying to reach a certain someone-

_"I've had my fun with him! You can have him back-but only if you can get out of here alive! Remember this, though! You don't have much time left with him, my old friends! His brother gave him a gift that will end his miserable existence, and there's nothing you can do to alter his fate! He'll die as I did, broken and empty!"_

Once Liquid's partner delivered those words, Lloyd felt an intolerable urge to behead every creature in the room. Regal tore him away from the vicinity, reminding him of Snake's well being. They would digest the horrific news of Snake's condition at a much later time, when things were a little safer. The three of them fled, Liquid's companion ordered more wraiths to pursue them, Regal told Lloyd to take Snake out of harm's way, and-

Left himself behind with Goliath, a claw-wielding beast that could easily decapitate any human in the blink of an eye.

Eyes burning with tears, Snake cried out to him. Unfortunately, this was the response he received.

_"I swore to protect you, milord, at ANY cost!"_

Lloyd yanked on Snake's arm. Snake continued to cry out Regal's name, hand reaching out to him. Goliath threw himself at Regal, Regal unsheathed the handgun Snake had given to him-

And the rest of the night was, literally, a blur.

Snake remembered being taken outside of the castle. He remembered Lloyd's hand, and how tightly it had been wrapped around his. He remembered how his feet collided with soil, and how nearby waves rustled against his ears. He remembered his bursts of pain, none of which were from his implanted ExSphere but from fear. He remembered the tears falling from his eyes, and how every last drop held nothing but pain. He remembered Regal's face, and how warm it had been prior to their swift separation.

He didn't see Lloyd's face, which was not only covered in pain but envy.

* * *

The old hero awakened with Hal at his bedside. He had been returned to the warm boundaries of the Nomad, comforted by every one of his friends. Regal, successfully escaping death (by a hair), refused to let Colette heal him and wished to remain at Snake's side. It took a great deal of effort, but Sunny and Raine urged him to get some fresh sea air. Lloyd did the same, unable to remain at Snake's side for a long period of time. Sunny and Genis decided to share the night together, able to share one another-without interruption-for the first time in ages. Liquid's army had been relentless. As for Liquid, he hadn't even shown himself yet. The world truly was in for a bleak vortex.

Soft, tranquil shades of orange and blue spread through the skies. Birds took flight against the calm ether, searching for their nighttime havens. Crystal blue waves rustled against jagged edges, showering the mortal world in the translucent mists of serenity. One soul stood upon a cliff, overlooking the sea's melody and reflecting on the melody of his own body. His heart beat quietly yet passionately, pensive over recent and distant memories. The time for rest had come to an end, for there was a world he wished to see. No matter how many hours dwelled in a day, there would never be enough for him to fully explore his world. There would never be enough time for him to understand, discover and cherish everything.

Enveloped in soft, golden light, he looked down on the seemingly endless rhythm of the sea. The crystal clear scent of water wafted into his heart, vibrant and luscious-alive with the innocent, rich magic of life. Great sadness drifted through his eyes as his mind walked through memories, wishing for the serenity of the immortal sea. He longed to experience its tranquility, unhappy with the burdens he was fated to carry. Winds rustled his silvery white hair as eyes gave a sea their jealously, grief and frustration. He wasn't alone for a long while, though, for one soul wished to comfort him. He approached the sunlit hero slowly, gently, not wanting to disturb the golden statue. He too was wrapped up in heavenly light, transformed into a painting Snake believed too beautiful to be real. The lavendar locks of the soldier's lover were a banner in the wind, while faint sunlight complimented his gentle eyes. "The night is fast approaching," the chivalrous soul said, always gentle, always kind. "Soon, the whole world will be asleep. You and I will be the only ones awake, while so many others dream."

Blushing but clearly upset, Snake turned away with a small grunt. Regal gazed at him with the hunger of an imprisoned soul, speaking not a word for an age. He then turned his eyes to the sea, hair flowing in the cool winds. "The budding night has brought me great happiness, for you are awake. However, you are not the least bit happy. What burdens are troubling you tonight?"

Wringing his hands, Snake contemplated possible answers with a frown. "Is it the ExSphere?" Regal asked after a moment of silence, face doused in distress. "If it is, I can assure you, it'll be taken care of promptly. Have no fear, for-"

"You'd cut it out of me if you could," the old legend said with a weak chuckle, desperately trying to suppress the urge to cry. Seeing Regal, having Regal so close, was just too much to bear. Especially since he believed Regal to be dead, having left him with the lovely Goliath just a few hours ago. "You're wrong, though. I'm not thinking of the Sphere."

"Then what are you thinking of?" Regal prodded urgently but softly, eyes filled with a longing to hear the other's heart. Snake turned to him with a sad smile, hands still wringing at each other nervously.

"My father. I was thinking of everything he told me...right before he passed away. Told me to live. Told me to cast aside the gun and live...for everything my new world had to offer. Ever since then, I've been trying. I've been trying to live, trying to fit in a world of voices, colors, emotions...but...I can't. I don't know how, and I don't think I ever will."

He examined his hands as though they were wrinkled hands of a monster. "These hands were only meant to kill," he said sadly, speaking not only to a crestfallen Regal but to himself. His voice became hoarse as he pressed on, and started to crack. "They weren't meant to touch life, or even give life. I'm the last remnant of an old era...an era that shouldn't have happened in the first place. I'm...well, I'm nothing. Nothing but an ugly, wretched scar."

Regal, looking very much like a child that had lost his best friend, stepped closer to the other. "Do you really see yourself in such a horrible light?" he asked, spirit falling. "Do you really believe yourself to be useless, even as those you love thrive around you? Do our smiles mean nothing to you?"

Tears crept closer to the edges of Snake's eyes. Those words weren't spoken out of spite or anger. They were spoken out of something beautiful, warm and light. "I didn't ask for any of this," he whimpered, eyes clouding over. "I didn't want anything from any of you."

"Have I committed a crime against you?" a feather asked, hands gripping Snake's arms. His fingers gently brushed against the old one's face, wiping away raindrops. "Have I done something to bring tears to your eyes?"

"Yeah," the war hero said, wrenching himself away from Regal's arms. Anger united with pain, pain united with frustration. "You fell in love with me. And I fell in love with you."

For what seemed like an eternity, only the song of rushing waters met their ears. They gazed at one another, faces filled with unspeakable pain. One wished to reach out and cleanse the other of pain entirely, heartbroken by his lover's moonlit sorrow. The diamond of his heart wished to leap from the cliff he stood on. "I don't want to do this any more," the older male said, tears streaking his face. "I can't do it any more. Don't want to waste any one's time any more. Don't want to waste yours any more."

"What will you have me do?" Regal asked in horror, arms open for an unborn embrace. His voice was hoarse, laden with the anguish from a trembling heart. "I don't wish to see life without you. So many others feel the same way. Seeing you like this is far worse than anything your brother or his army could inflict on me."

"That's another thing! You're hurt, always getting hurt and it's because of me! It's always because of me and I'm so damn tired of it!"

He threw himself into Regal's arms, instantly burying his head into his knight's chest. Sobs melted into the younger one's soul, stabbing him with the ferocity of a million swords. "Everything's because of me," the light of his life wept, pounding his chest. "I should have finished the job when I had the chance. Wish I had died on that day, so none of you would be suffering!"

"I am suffering, but not for the reasons you believe in," a burly swordsman said softly, sadly. Gently he wrapped his arms around the other, resting his head on top of his angel's. "I'm suffering because you're crying."

That bit of truth, that simple bit of truth, only made things worse. Snake blinked furiously for a moment, face tightened with the desire to hold back sobs. "I thought I'd never see you again," he declared, gripping the other's arms. "Thought you had left me."

"Never will I leave you," Regal said instantly, running a hand over the top of Snake's head. "Never will I abandon you. Forgive me for having you worry over me."

Snake transformed into a snarling feline. "You're always sorry. You're always sorry but you never give a damn about yourself."

"Do you care for yourself?"

"NO! But I have every right NOT to! I killed my own mother, almost killed my own brother, and I almost lost you! What part of 'I'm a piece of shit' can't you understand?!"

"I can understand the sentence perfectly well. I just don't understand the foundation."

Snake smiled, and for a moment, Regal smiled too. An invigorating rush of joy soared through the swordsman's bloodstream. Were things all right?

No, they weren't. Snake's smile was completely made of icy sarcasm.

"Always perfect, aren't you? Haven't made a misstep once."

His sunlight, the one that loved him without question, looked as if he wished to burst into tears. Despite Regal's facial expression, the old war hero pressed on with his cynicism. "And I suppose you're all right with dying for an old killer?" he asked, wielding the voice of a malicious cat. "You're just fine with living for one?"

Regal had always managed to deliver warm, soothing and noble messages. He had always managed to warm Snake's heart with a few words from the Book of Chivalry. At that point in time, though, his entire book was completely blank. He could only stand still as Snake smiled at him, wielding the devilish glee of a triumphant...well, snake. Tears scorched his eyes as he gazed upon the man he loved, heart boiling in an ocean of black pain. "Guess I have my answer," the legend declared with a nod, then turned away. "You've got no problem with blind loyalty. You're no better than a dog waiting out on table scraps."

If the swordsman had been a child, he would have bolted away in tears. Regal wished to regain his calm composure, in order to remain in his position as Snake's anchor, but the urge to break down was just too powerful. No words could erase anything that had just happened. No words could heal anything. No words could connect either one of them to light. Realizing that with his heart all over Earth's floor, the swordsman turned his back on beloved moonlight. Only a few steps were taken before an arm pulled at him.

Much to his surprise, the arm belonged to Snake. "Don't leave," a puppy whimpered, eyes drenched in tearful sorrow. "Don't go. I'm...I'm s-s-sorry. I didn't mean-"

A head was bowed, but gently lifted a few seconds later. Hands cupped a tear-stained face, and eyes kissed eyes. Gentle kisses swept away small drops of diamond light, exuding pristine, undying love. "I'm sorry," a voice whispered, repeating the echoes of his heart. "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm-"

Hands gripped Snake's hands fiercely. "Stop it," a soft heart ordered, piercing his eyes. "Say what you will about me. Say what you wish. Anything is far superior to hearing you harm yourself."

"D-d-didn't mean anything I said. I'm s-s-sorry."

Arms, tender and protective, wrapped around a shivering frame. Cerulean blue paint soared throughout the heavens as stars crept from underneath their covers, ready to shine for the mortal world. Waters sang as they struck the rocks below, cradling the Earth as two hearts held one another. Shooting stars soared on love's wings happily, granting the wishes of their light-hearted audiences the world over. "Please stop crying," a swordsman whimpered, hands brushing against a wrinkled face. "Please don't cry any more. And please...don't speak of taking your own life any more. I'll do anything to-"

A hand was placed against his lips. "Will you shut up for a minute?" a smiling Snake asked, warmth overflowing from his eyes.

Not another word was spoken. Regal rested his head against Snake's, eyes closed as his heart took in the sea's song. The night opened as a blossoming flower, wrapping them up in the sea's starlit mist. The tide became stronger as they held one another, determined to prevent even the waters from seperating them. Snake closed his eyes against Regal's chest, viewing past treasures with unclouded eyes. He had dreamt of moonlit euphoria on several occassions, scorning each and every minute of his dreams. At that moment, though, everything was right with the world. Their moment, their embrace, would be forever engraved in his memory, reminding him of love's kindness. The stars shimmered, waves brushed against the edges of the Earth, and two sets of orbs melted into each other. "Can I give you something?" a bashful heart whispered, pawing at the other's chest.

Regal placed a hand underneath Snake's chin. "You've given me everything already. What else is there to give?"

"My name."

"Do I not already have it?"

"Not my true one," a blushing puppy said, the moonlight of rapture overflowing. "It's 'David'. You don't have to call me 'my king' or anything like that any more."

"But you are my king," the swordsman said, lips brushing against Snake's. "In my heart I have built an entire empire for you, and you are my ruler. My commander."

Their foreheads nuzzled each other. Their noses touched, their eyes closed...the sea lifted its voice, the moon glistened...Regal's lips edged closer, two hearts soared beyond the heavens, and-

Regal plummeted into the sea's depths, screaming from shock. He rose his head above the crystal blue waters, lavendar locks glued to his face. The most heavenly sight greeted his eyes, and even though it was miles above him, he vowed to protect that sight forever.

It was the sight of a laughing, crying, smiling Snake.

Happiness erupted at such an intense rate, Regal felt his heart was bound to explode. "Wha-what on Earth was THAT for?!" he asked, pretending to be livid. Snake, hands about his mouth, snickered-but then dove back into vibrant laughter.

"It's chilly down here!"

"Gee, I didn't know that," a gleeful Snake called out to the soaked Regal. Moonlight blanketed him, highlighting his effervescent smile. Gazing upon the distant yet beautiful figure, the swordsman felt as if every angel alive blessed him. "What propelled you to throw me down here?!" he asked, joy uniting with playful fury.

"I don't know! Guess I just felt being naughty! Good night!"

"WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME DOWN HERE!"

"Oh, shut up! You're fine! Just drag your wet, gorgeous ass back up here!"

The heart of Regal's world was gone in mere seconds, strolling off into the night while humming. A sodden swordsman scrambled back onto dry land, beaming from ear to ear.

There weren't two happier souls on the face of civilization.

* * *

Not too far from the universe's happiest souls, the saddest soul dwelled behind a waterfall. He was the night's phantom, perfecting his sword skills behind a translucent veil. His faithful blade was a ribbon in his agile hands, and he worked with his tool as a dancer. Slashes were slowly executed to the point of perfection, defensive stances were chiseled, and eyes practiced vigils for battle. The practice session was soon cut to an end, though, by the intervention of a gentle voice. Alarmed, he studied the speaker's figure. "Thought I'd find you down here," the soft voice said, warming his rattled heart. It wasn't Colette but Hal. Warm, kind, compassionate Hal.

The young swordsman rushed to the otaku's aid, assisting him as he climbed over rocks. "Th-th-thanks," the clumsy anime junkie said, face beaming. The two of them were soon behind the night's veil, listening to the calm melody of rushing waters. "You think after everything I've been through, I'd be in much better shape!"

"You're fine," the warrior assured him softly, sitting across from him. "But I just realized something. There's one-and only one thing-I don't like about you!"

"Oh?" Hal asked, eyes widened and head tilting. Lloyd Irving, otherwise known as Kite, grinned-for what felt like the first time in eons.

"Yeah! I can't stand how you put yourself down on a regular basis! I'm just not used to hearing an angel degrade itself!"

"Angel? ME?" the Emmerich asked, clasping his hands to his mouth. Blushing, he delivered his response amidst chuckles. "I'm anything but an angel! Thanks for your kind words, though!"

Sheathing his sword, Lloyd spoke with a darker tone. "Is there something on your mind?" he asked firmly, gazing out at the veil that concealed him from the world. "If there isn't, I suggest you go back to bed. You went through a lot today."

Hal, much to Lloyd's horror, looked offended. "What, I can't visit a friend? A friend I've been worried about for days on end?"

One word amidst the Emmerich's sentence was a dagger to Lloyd's heart. Stiffening, he clasped a hand to his heart-but kept his eyes averted from Hal. "I'm fine," he said automatically, wishing he could either slice Hal's head off-or decaptitate himself. The otaku, unfortunately, didn't buy the automated response.

"I may not be the strongest man alive, but I'm certainly not dumb. Did you honestly think I'd buy that crappy defense?"

"How's Sunny?"

"Sleeping," the gentle soul replied, smiling at the thought of his doting daughter-and a friend he loved dearly. "Raine told her bedtime stories from Sylvarant. In her eyes, all is right with the world. I guess it is, now that we've got our Epyon back. But what about you? Is everything right in your neck of the woods?"

Lloyd stared, wrestling between two options. He could confess everything, open up his heart and spill out every last tear. He could tell Hal that he loved Snake, but Snake's heart clearly belonged to Regal. He could tell Hal that he longed, desired, hungered for comfort, and knew he could find it in the otaku's arms. He could tell Hal that he needed someone to love, and didn't want to die alone. He could-

-spend the rest of the night in sobs, head buried in Hal's chest.

Their foreheads met. Their noses nuzzled, their eyes closed...waters continued to fall from the heavens...

"I don't want to be alone any more. I'm tired. I can't live alone any more. I...I n-n-need s-s-someone. P-p-please...please help me. Please."

Two hearts began to race. Lloyd's tearful, starving eyes melted into Hal's widened, soft orbs. The stars shimmered, tears fell-

"I don't know what to do, Hal. Please...please help me. I'm not invincible! Please!"

Hearts screamed for air. Hands wiped away a swordsman's tears, gentle and miraculous. "It's all right," a voice promised, hands stroking Lloyd's back. "It's...it's all right. I'm here. No more tears."

Whimpers rose from the trembling swordsman's mouth. Tears soared from his heart, his body melted into Hal's-

He couldn't. He couldn't! He was in love with Colette, Lloyd's best friend! He-

* * *

This was composed to the unrivaled talent of Harry Gregson-Williams, Within Temptation and ES Posthumus. The songs Selisona Pi, The Truth Beneath the Rose, Harry Gregson-Williams' MGS4 compositions, and the Prince Caspian soundtrack were all summoned for the creation of this adventure. 'The Truth Beneath the Rose' was actually Lloyd's theme. This tale ended right when the song did, and it was absolutely beautiful. I'm proud. XD

This tale takes place of MGS4, with MGS4's pivotal moments occurring at earlier points. For example, Big Boss' death happened prior to Snake's new adventure. Their meeting in the cemetery (gloriously beautiful, by the way) occurred before the grand fusion of worlds began. Liquid and Snake collided once in a furious battle, with Snake almost taking his brother's life-but stopping before death erased him. Naomi Hunter came and went, giving Snake the notorious FOXDIE.

Time to explain Sunny's nicknames! Lloyd's nickname, 'Kite', came from the .hack//sign anime-as did Regal's nickname, 'Bear'. Raine's name came from 'Queen Serenity', a pivotal character from the Sailor Moon series. Colette received the name of a Final Fantasy XII heroine and Genis was named after a Final Fantasy XII emperor.

The castle was inspired by the Los Illuminados castle of Resident Evil 4. So were the wraiths and their language. I dove into the castle just last night, and it scared the living sheet out of me. No lie. Oh, and Goliath was inspired by the claw-toting beast inside of the castle prison. He decaptitated me twice last night.

By the way, Liquid's so-called 'lover' was Zelos Wilder. XD That's all I'm saying on that. But I had a lot of fun brainstorming the castle battle, playing Resident Evil 4 and listening to Jesper Kyd's 'Access the Animus'.

So! What of Hal? I remembered his vulnerability with Naomi Hunter, and placed him in his dilemma with Lloyd. He had a crush on Colette, but he's always a sucker for weak creatures. Tee hee hee! What do you think will happen between him and Lloyd?! Bwa ha ha!

Before composing this, I watched the epilogue of MGS4. The conversation between Big Boss and Snake is nothing short of phenomenal, not to mention beautiful. Wickedly, wondrously beautiful.

If you're new to my work, PLEASE CHECK YOUR TOLERANCE FOR BOY/BOY LOVE AND EMOTIONAL SNAKES. IF NEITHER TOLERANCE LEVEL IS HIGH, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY-but no thanks. XD


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